SENATE RETURNED TO THE PRESIDENT HOAGLAND’S CANDIDATURE AS US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

Regnum, Russia
Dec 12 2006

US Senate returned to the president Richard Hoagland’s candidature
as ambassador to Armenia. According to the charter, the Senate has
no right to consider candidatures, which were neither confirmed nor
turned down at sessions, until the president re-introduces them again
at next sessions.

As Washington office of Hay Dat, in January, when office of the
110th US Congress starts, the president can either introduce a
new candidature or insist upon Hoagland’s candidature or using the
interruption in functioning of the parliament appoint Richard Hoagland
without being appointed by the Senate. Otherwise, the post of the US
ambassador to Armenia will be vacant.

Armenian public was extremely negative on Richard Hoagland’s
candidature after the diplomat presumed to make statements denying
the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. But despite
protests of the Armenian public, particularly, some NGOs in Armenia,
Richard Hoagland’s candidacy proposed by President George Bush was
considered and approved. New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez spoke on the
issue saying that many, including the US president avoid assessing the
evil done in the beginning of the last century in Turkey as genocide,
and appointment of Hoagland can become a setback, which is not either
in interests of Armenia or interests of the Diaspora.

It is worth mentioning, that US embassy charge d’affaires in Armenia,
Vice Ambassador Anthony Godfrey announced at a news conference on
November 8 that "despite the fact that Armenian community is negative
on candidature of Richard Hoagland appointed as US Ambassador to
Armenia, the US government considers no other candidatures to the
post."